Philip zimmeemann



I PI ZIMMERMANN. Apparatus for Making Distillers and Brewers Mash.

No. 230,517. Patented July 2 7, .1880,

.PETERS. PHDTO-LITNOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C

UNITED STATES FREE.

PATENT PHILIP ZIMMERMANN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNQR F ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO A. LOUIS J. HERANCOURT, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING DIS TILLERS AND BREWERS MASH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,517, dated July 27, 1880.

. A Application filed February 9, 1880.

To all whom it may concern: Be itknown that I, PHILIP ZIMMERMANN of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Male 5 ing Distillers and Brewers Mash, of which the following is a'specitication. My process for making distillers mash consists,essentially,in boiling(by means of stean'i) shelled Indian corn or other grain for several hours in a closed vessel of wood. The temperature of steam which I use for this purpose is, say, 216 Fahrenheit. When the corn is sufficiently soft it is permitted to flow or is conducted into a grinding or comminutin g ap- 1 paratus, whence the now pulpy amylaceous mass escapes into the mash-tub. Hot water is applied at the successive stages, for due maceration of the charge and to secure suflicient liquidity for the desired flow of the amy- 2o laceous matter from vessel to vessel. My invention consists in the apparatus hereinafter described for carrying out the aboverecited process. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for the production of distillers and brewers mash embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of the boiling-tub. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, to a larger scale, in the plane of the grinding- 3o disks axis. Figs. 4 and 5 are face views of the comminuting-disks.

A represents a tub or tank to contain hot water. Located near tank A, at a somewhat less elevation, is a second tub or vessel, B 0, whose upper portion, B, is of wood and whose lower portion, 0, is of funnel form and of sheetcopper, suit-ably supported from and having water-tight connection with said upper portion. The vessel B O is tightly closed at top by a cover, D.

Entering the funnel-formed bottom 0 is a pipe, E, from the steam-engine exhaust or other source of steam.

Pipes F F F, leading from the upper part 5 of the tub B 0, near its periphery, converge outside to a common pipe, G, which, extending upward and horizontally sidewise, as at G, descends, as at G, sufficiently into the hot water in the tank A to secure the desired pressure and consequent heat of the interior of vessel B 0.

An aperture, H,in the cover D is capable of being tightly closed byacap, I. Shelled corn or other grain is, from time to time, fed into the tub B G from conveyer J.

The steam-pipes E and G, being closed or opened at will and to any degree by cocks e and g, enable the attendant to regulate the cook ng action at discretion.

The funnel Ctern'linatesin adischarge-pipe, K, having a slide valve or gate, L, whose withdrawal permits the escape of the contents of the vessel B G into the grinding or comminuting mill M. A pipe, N, leading from the bottom of tank A into the discharge-pipe K, and being provided with 'a cock, n, enables the descending mass ofsoftened grain to be flushed to any desirable degree at the discretion of the operator.

The pipe K empties into a passage, 0, containing a spiral conveyer, X, which conducts the grain through central aperture, 1), in stationary corrugated disk P, of chilled iron, into a chamber between it and a correspondinglycorrugated revolving disk, Q. Between the disks P and Q the softened grain is ground, and from them it passes through spout It into any suitable mash-tub (see dotted lines) S'.

A screw. T, pressing against the shaft U of the grinding-disk, enables it to be set with the desired proximity to the stationary disk for effective action.

V and W represent driving-pulleys on the shafts of the spiral conveyer X and of the grinding-disk Q, respectively. 8 5

My apparatus is equally well adapted for use in the production of brewers mash as for the production of distillers mash, as above described.

Theoperation of my mash apparatus is as 0 follows: The tank A being charged with water and the boiler B O with grain, said boiler is closed and steam is admitted to it by opening the cock 0. When the mass of corn has been thus sufficientlyheated the cock 9 is opened to a less or greater extent, so as to permit the steam to escape through pipe G G G" into 'tank A. The effect of this is to heat up the water in said tank to the boiling-point, and to at the same time maintain a moderate heat in the boiler of 216 Fahrenheit. When the contents ofthe boiler have become sutficiently softened the mill Mis started and the gate L opened, so as to permit the gradual escape of the mass of softened grain and its passage through the conveyer 0 into the mill M, whence the comminuted amylaceous matter escapes into the mash-tub for the usual treatment in producing saccl'iarification.

By treating the grain at a temperature of 216 Fahrenheit I have found that just that unit of temperature is secured which avoids, on the one hand, such heat as to destroy the fermenting or saccharifyin g principle, and, on the other hand, such loss of time as to endanger acidification. An exceptionally high yield of alcohol is obtained.

By combining in the macerating operation atmospheric exposure and contact with iron at the temperature set forth, and by constructing the boiler of a wooden upper part and a copper i'unnehshaped bottom, I am enabled to save the slop in a good condition for use as food for cattle and hogs. Less time is occupied in' boiling the corn when treating it at a temperature of 216 Fahrenheit than where a lower temperature is employed, and the danger, always present when treating it at an increased temperature, ot'roastin g the starch and damaging the mash is also avoided.

I am aware that steam-boiling grain under pressure and at varying degrees of temperature is not new.

'I am aware that it'is not new to treat grain at various IBIIIIIGIQIAIPPS, both above and below 216 Fahrenheit; but,as previously stated, where a lower temperature than that employed pended in completing the process of distillation, and where a higher temperature than that employed by me is employed the starch will be destroyed, the mash damaged, and the slop wasted.

I am also aware that grain has been treated in closed vessels; and I am also aware that grain, after being subjected to the action of steam, has been disintegrated by being passed through a comminutor. Such, therefore, I do not claim; but

I claim as new and of my invention- L The apparatus for automatically preparing grain for the mash-tub, consisting of boiler B O, hot-water tank A, valve-guarded steam, hot-water, and mash passages E G N K, conveyer O, and comminuting-mill M, for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus for preparing grain for distillation or brewing, the boiler consisting of a wooden tub, B, and afunnel-shaped lower portion, 0, of copper, terminating in a gated discharge-pipe, K, and a cover, D, as and for the purpose described.

3. In an apparatus for preparing grain for distillation or brewing, the grinding or comminuting mill having the coacting adjustable revolving disk Q,the fixed disk F, with central feed-orifice. p, and the feedpassage 0, with conveyer X and flush-pipe N, the whole being combined and operating in the manner and for the purpose designated.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto,

set my hand;

PH. ZIMMERMANN.

Attest:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, A. LOUIS J. HERANCOURT. 

